1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for recording firmware in a computer system.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general a computer system includes an embedded controller, namely a micro-controller for controlling inputs of a keyboard and a mouse, supplying or intercepting power, and turning on/off the system. When power is applied to the computer system, the micro-controller examines the state of the respective components composing the computer system on the basis of firmware recorded on a ROM, such as a flash memory, and performs a POST (Power On Self Test) process for initialization in order for the computer system to operate. After the micro-controller normal operation of the POST process, an operation system starts to control the system.
During the POST process, a system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) is operated through the communication with the micro-controller. The micro-controller controls LCD, brightness control or volume, battery and thermal information. The system BIOS is stored in the system ROM such as a flash ROM, and a keyboard BIOS is stored in an H8 keyboard controller, which is a micro-controller.
The process of recording firmware is generally performed in a system development step. As shown in FIG. 1, after the process starts, a control program for controlling the recording process is loaded to a RAM (step S12) according to a firmware recording command (step S11). If the firmware recording command is not received, the check for the firmware recording command is repeated (step S11). The control program controls deleting the whole contents of the ROM (step S13), and consecutively recording new firmware having initialization information and other functions on the ROM (step S14). Then. The process is completed.
However, if the firmware damaged because of a code bug or update error is recorded on the ROM, the system may stop on a log screen during the POST process of the system BIOS, or may not be responsive to system power-on. To solve the foregoing problems, the micro-controller having the ROM in which the damaged firmware has been recorded on must physically replace the damaged firmware with a normal one. In this case, a main board, connections, devices coupled thereto or an operator may be damaged because of a high difficulty of the corresponding replacement and/or soldering process. Such replacements can also cause waste of money, time and manpower, which results in low productivity and increased costs.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.